Report: 5 teams in talks with Paul Goldschmidt

Jul 24, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (46) waits at first during the seventh inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

Paul Goldschmidt may be the most accomplished free agent still left on the market, and he apparently has some big teams knocking on his door.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported Friday that there are five teams engaged in talks with the free agent slugger Goldschmidt — the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, Washington Nationals, and San Francisco Giants. Nightengale also notes that the Yankees specifically have “strong interest” in Goldschmidt.

The righty-hitting Goldschmidt is a seven-time All-Star, a five-time Silver Slugger Award winner, and a four-time Gold Glover at first base. He also led the National League in home runs in 2013 and then won NL MVP in 2022 with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Teams obviously won’t be expecting that same kind of production these days from Goldschmidt, who is now 37 and hit a career-low .245 last season. But he still had good pop with 22 home runs and 65 RBIs in 154 games and figures to be a hotter free agent option now that fellow first baseman Christian Walker just signed with an AL contender in free agency.